The FSA Debit Card makes it fast and convenient to access the money set aside in a Healthcare FSA. When leaving a medical office visit, purchasing a prescription, or incurring a qualified medical expense, simply use funds remaining in a Healthcare FSA, stored on the Card, to pay for the expense. In some specific cases participants will not even have to follow up with documentation to Tri-Star. With the right health insurance plan design, they are a value-added service. Your employer makes the decision whether the debit card is a good solution to work with your Healthcare FSA and whether to offer this card.
BEFORE USING YOUR CARD
Your card must be activated prior to its first use, in some instances taking up to 48 hours. Your full year Health Care FSA balance is available upon activation. To activate your card:
- Call the number on the sticker on the face of your new cards, 1-866-898-9795. This momentarily activates your card because you are in direct contact with the card vendor.
- Click on the following link Activate My Benny Card and complete the card activation information.
- If you need assistance, contact us at our customer service number, 1-800-727-0182, option 1.
Where Does the FSA Debit Card Work?
The debit card will work only at the following providers:
- Physicians, dentists, hospitals, clinics or other medical providers, or
- 90% Rule Merchants (Effective July 1, 2009), Pharmacies and drug stores that have registered with SIGIS as having 90% or more of gross sales that are prescriptions/Rx or over-the counter Eligible Healthcare Products, or
- Merchants who sell prescription drugs and/or over-the-counter medicines and supplies who have installed the IIAS control system.
Caution! Even though Costco is on the IIAS list of approved merchants, your Benny Card will not be accepted there at this time. You may not use your FSA debit card at Costco to pay for qualified medical expenses. We do not have an indication as to whether this card will be accepted in the future by Costco.
How to Use Your FSA Debit Card
Know where your FSA debit card will be accepted by reviewing the 90% Rule Merchant list and IIAS Control System list of participating providers using the above links. Your card may no longer work at a pharmacy or drug store after July 1, 2009 if they have not either installed the IIAS Control System or registered as a 90% merchant. Simply swipe your card at the above providers to pay for medical services or products. The approved amount (based on funds remaining in your account and for those FSA-qualified items) will be paid from funds available on your card & you will be prompted for payment for the non-qualified amounts.
Auto-Supported Card Purchases
Support for use of the debit card is electronically stored when using the card at a medical provider for a copay matching your employer’s health plan benefits (not that of your spouse’s policy through their employer) or if used at merchants with the IIAS system. For these electronically supported, auto-adjudicated claims, participants should not be asked by Tri-Star for follow up documentation. However, it is important that participants keep support for these expenses in case audited by the IRS.
Card Purchases Requiring Follow-Up Documentation
Even though your FSA debit card will work to pay 90% Rule Merchants for prescriptions and OTC medicines and drugs, these purchases will not be automatically supported. Participants receive an email notice if documentation is required. They must respond to this request and support the use of the card or their card will be inactivated. Recurring purchases at the same merchant for the same amount or purchases matching your medical copay are supported for subsequent matching purchases during the same plan year.
FSA Debit Card Balance
The value on the debit card stays in sync with the balance available in Tri-Star’s system. Whenever a participant files a claim for an expense, when not using the card, the card balance and the available balance with Tri-Star are reduced accordingly.
For More Information
See Using My HCFSA Debit Card for details on how to use the card, what to do if the card does not work, how to get replacement cards and more.